Rail bender



Feb. 12, 1929. 1,761,711

P. vALPaANi RAIL BENDER ori inal Filed Nov. 25, 1926 JFK/ 7707? Pauyww k/pllma I I I Patented Feb. 12, 1929.

,UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

PASQUINO VALPIANI, OF WI LARK, OREGON.

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Application filed November 23, 1926, Serial No. 150,255. Renewed January3, 1929.

My invention relates to a device for removing short bends and kinks fromrails, especially such, for example, as are used for a logging andconstruction railroad.

The object of my invention is to provide a rail bender which may be usedwithout removing therails from the ties.

A further object is to provide a cheap and efficient rail bender whichis easily portable,

and which may be operated by one man.

Light rails, such as used on temporary railroad construction of variouskinds, easily become warped from heat and bent out of shape because ofthe extremely heavy duty they are forced at times to perform, and thecost of the maintenance necessary for the upkeep of this type ofrailroad is out of proportion to its value when done by the methodsusually employed on standard railroad construction.

I attain my objects in a device comprising a pair of companion elongateside-bars provided with a block removably transversely secured betweenand at one end of said sidebars, a bending screw being threaded in saidblock and provided with means for rotation,

said bending screw being adapted to have a bearing head affixed thereto.A second block is secured between and at the opposite end 7 of saidside-bars. A' shackle consisting of an inverted U-shaped member ismounted to ride on said side-bars, being longitudinally movable thereon,but restrainedto such movement. Means are'provided for adjnstablysecuring said shackle at the longitudinal middle of said side-bars, anda fulcrum bar is removably carried by said shackle below said side-bars.I i

These details of the construction and mode of operation of my inventionare hereinafter fully described with reference to theaccompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fin-.1- shows a plan view of my rail bender, and thedetails ofconstruction; I

v Fig. 2 shows aside elevation of my rail bender, and illustrates a railmounted thereon in the process of being straightened;

Fig. 3 shows a fragment of theend of one side and the tongue and slotunionwith the end block;

Fig. 4 shows a section taken on the line 44 of 2, illustrating thedetails of construction and function of the bending screw,

bending a rail in a Z permanently fixed thereon.

mounted on a swivel block, for hearing against the rail Fig. 5 shows bya fragment of a section sim ilar to 4 the rotatable head on the bend-111g screw being adaptable for bending a rail in a plane coincident withthatof the web;

Fig. 6 shows a section similar to Fig. 5, the rotatable head onthebending screw being adjusted for bending a rail in a plane normal tothat of the web;

Fig.7 shows a section taken on the line 77 of Fig. 2, and shows a railmounted in position in my rail-bender, and bearing against the removablefulcrum-bar;

Fig. 8 shows a side elevation of the fulcrum-bar adapted for bending arail in a plane normal to that of the web;

Fig. 9 shows a section taken on the line 99 of Fig. 8, and illustratesfurther details of construction; I

Fig. 10 shows a. section taken on the line 1010 of Fig. 2, andillustrates a rail in position on my rail-bender and bearing against theend block;

Fig. llshows a similar section to that of Fig. 10 illustrating the endblock adapted for plane normal to that of the web; and y r Fig. 12 showsa section taken on the line 1212 of Fig. 11; and illustrates furtherdetails of construction.

My rail-bender comprises two spaced'parallel members a and 5 heldtogether by suit- I able bolts 0, over which are mounted spacing sleevesc, and provided with handles (Z. A transverse end block a is joinedbetween the members a and b by tongues 7 which fit into slots 9 in themembers a and 7), and a block it is similarly mounted at the other endbetween the members a and b on trunnions 7t, and provided with a holebored at right angles to the trunnions and threaded so as to receivea'threaded bending screw c'.

The screw 11 is provided at one end with a head 7' adapted to receive across bar 70, and at its'other end with a rotatable bearing head Thehead cap Z is adapted on its face to grip a transverse section of therail in order to prevent the rail from slipping.

A shackle m fits over the members a and I) in grooves n and 0 on itsinner sides. The position of the shackle m may be varied longitudina-llyon the members a and Z) by bolts 19, which extend through the shackle Zinto corresponding holes 9 in the members a and Z).

A fulcrum-bar '1 extends through holes 'located in the-extremity of theshackle 'm.

Referring now to Figs 7-12 I will describe a modification of certainparts of my railbender in which it is adapted for bending arail in aplane either normal to or coincident with the web by providing removablehearing heads adapted for eoniorming'to theside or face of a rail.

In Figs. 5 and 6, I provide in the place of the head Z a reversible head2 held to the screw i'by a bolt 3 in which the face 2 of the cap .2 isadapted for hearing againstthe rail when the rail is to be bent in a.plane coincident with that of the web, and in ig. 6, I show the cap 2reversed and the face 2 turned outward for bearing against the side ofthe rail, when the rail is to be bent in a plane normal to that of theweb. In Figs. 8 and 9, I likewise show the fulcrum-bar r provided with ablock a to be bolted thereon and adapted. for conforming to thesideot arail to be bentin a plane normal to that of the web. Fi s. 11 and 12show 'the end block 0 provided with a similar block 5 mounted thereonand likewise adapted for bending the rail in a plane normal to that'oftthe web.

The operation of my device is as follows:

For bending the rail in a plane coincident with the web, the fulcrum-bar0 is removed, and my rail bender is placed over "the rail as shown inFig. 2, after which the fulcrumbar 1" is then replaced, and the. screw-72, is rotated by the operator using the crossbar 7c. The rotating ofthe screw it advances the bearing head Z which bears against the rail,and the rail being restrained by thefful'crumbar 7 and the end block 6.will thus beforced by adjusting itselt to the pressure from the screw 71to bend itself to the desired shape.

When my rail bender is to be adapted for bending" a rail in either aplane normal or coincident with that of the web, such slight changes asabove mentioned need only be made.

The reversible cap 2 is substituted for'the head Z. and the face 2 isturned outward tor bending the rail in a. plane coincident with the web;and for bending the rail ina plane normal to the web, the cap 2 iseasily reversed by removing the bolt 3 and bringing the face 2 intoposition for bearing against the side of the rail.

A. similar change is made with the fulcrumbar 0* in that thesupplementary block 4, for conforming; to the side of the rail, that iswhen bending the rail in a plane normal to the web and with the endblock a by affixing the supplementary block 5.

I claim:

1. A rail-bender comprising a pair of companion elongate side-bars, a*block secured below said side-bars.

secured between and at the opposite end of the said side-bars, a shackleriding on said side-bars and longitudinally movable thereon, means foradjustably securing said shackle at the longitudinal middle of saidside-bars, a -fulcrum-bar removably carried by said shack-le'below saidside-bars, and said second block adapted to have a bearing-head a flixedthereto.

'2. lhrail-bender comprising a pairot companionelongateside-bars, ablock removably secured transversely between and atone end of saidside-bars, a bending screw threaded in said bloc-k, said bending screwprovided with a relatively rotatable bearing-head affixed thereto, asecond block removably securedbetween and at the-opposite end of thesaid side-bars. a shack-1e ridingon said bars and longitudinally movablethereon but restrained in such movement 'to the plane ot the said sidebars, means for adjustahly securing said shackle at the longitudinalimiddle of said, side-bars, and a fulcrum-bar 're niovably carried :bysaid shackle below said side-bars.

A rail-bender comprisingn pair ot companion elongate side-bars, a blocksecured transverselybetween and at one end of said. side-bars, a bendingscrew threaded in said block, saidbending screw adapted to have abearingr-head afiixed thereto, a second block secured between and at the'opposite'end of the said side-bars, a shackle consisting of an invertedU-shaped member riding on :said side-bars:and longitudinally movablethereon provided with recessesonits interiorxfaces adapted to receivesaid side-bars, means for :adiustably securing said shackle at th'elongit-udinal middle of said side-bars, and a 111- crum-bar removablycarried by said shackle 4. A rail-bender comprising a pair oit'companion elongate side-bars, a block pivoted transversely between andat one end of said side-bars, a bending screw threaded in said block,said bending screw adapted to have a bearing-head aifixed thereto, asecond block secured between and at the opposite ends of the saidside-bars, a shackle (riding on'said side-bars and longitudinallymovable thereon, means for 'adjustably securing said shackle at thelongitudinal. middle of said side-bars, and a fulcrum-bar removablycarried bysaid shackle below said side-bars.

5. A rail-bender comprising a pair of companion'elonga'te side-'bars, ablock removably pivoted transversely between and atone end of saidside-bars, a bending screw threaded in said block, 'sai'd ben'ding screwada-pted to have a bearing-head affixed thereto, a second "blockremovably secured 'betweenand at the opposite end of the said side-bars,a shackle riding on said side-bars and longitudinally 7 movable thereonbut restrained in such movement to the plane of the said side bars,means for adjustably securing said shackle at the longitudinal middle ofsaid side-bars, a fulcrum-bar removably carried by said shackle belowsaid side-bars, and said second block adapted to "have a bearing headafiiXed thereto.

6. A rail-bender comprising a pair of C0111- panion elongate side-bars,a block secured transversely between and at one end of said side-bars, abending screw threaded in said block, an adjustable bearing head carriedby said bending screw, a second block secured between and at theopposite end of the said side-bars, a shackle riding on said side-barsand longitudinally movable thereon, means for adjnstably securing saidshackle at the longitudinal middle of said side-bars, a fulcrum-barremovably carried by said shackle below said side-bars, and anadjustable bearing-head carried by said second block.

7. A rail-bender comprising a pair of com panion elongate side-bars, ablock secured transversely between and at one end of said sidebars, abending screw threaded in said block, means for rotating said bendingscrew, a second block secured between and at the op posite end of thesaid side-bars, a shackle riding on said side-bars and longitudinallymovable thereon, means for adjustably securing said shackle at thelongitudinal middle of said side bars, a fulcrum-bar removably carriedby said shackle below said side-bars, f

said second block adapted to have a bearing-i tying said companionside-bars together, a

means tor adjustably securing said shackle at the longitudinal middle ofsaid side-bars, a fulcrum-bar removably carried by said shackle belowsaid side-bars, and said second blockadapted to have a bearing headaffixed thereto.

9. A rail bender comprising a pair of companion elongate side-bars, ablock secured transversely between and at one end of said side-bars, abending screw threaded in said block, said bending screw adapted to havea bearing-head afiixed thereto, a second block secured between and atthe opposite end of said sidebars, a shackle riding on said sidebars andlongitudinally movable thereon, means for adjustably securing saidshackle at the longitudinal middle of said side-bars and a tulcrunrbarremovably carried by said shackle below said side-bars.

PASQUINO VALPIANI.

